> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cowboy.inc/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Cross References

> Topic-based navigation index for Cowboy documentation and CIPs

## Introduction

This page provides topic-based cross-references across the Cowboy documentation and the CIP (Cowboy Improvement Proposal) series. Use it as a map when you're exploring a concept that spans multiple documents.

<Tip>
  This index links to normative pages aligned with the Whitepaper and the numbered CIPs. When a CIP and a non-CIP doc disagree, the CIP is authoritative.
</Tip>

***

## By Topic

### Actor Model

**Core concepts**:

* [What is Cowboy](/introduction/what-is-cowboy) — Actor model introduction
* [Actor VM Overview](/architecture/actor-vm/overview) — VM architecture
* [Actor Identity](/architecture/actor-vm/actor-identity) — Address derivation
* [Determinism & Sandbox](/architecture/actor-vm/determinism-and-sandbox) — Execution guarantees
* [Resource Limits](/architecture/actor-vm/resource-limits) — VM constraints
* [Minimal Actor Example](/architecture/actor-vm/minimal-actor)

**Development**:

* [SDK API Reference](/developers/sdk)
* [Best Practices](/developers/best-practices) — Reentrancy, idempotency
* [Examples](/developers/examples)

**Related CIPs**:

* [CIP-1: Actor Message Scheduler](/cips/cip-1-actor-scheduler)
* [CIP-6: Python SDK & Actor API](/cips/cip-6-sdk)

***

### Gas, Fees & Metering

**Fee system**:

* [Fee Overview](/architecture/fees/overview) — Cycles & Cells
* [Dual EIP-1559](/architecture/fees/dual-eip1559) — Dynamic basefee
* [Metering Points](/architecture/fees/metering-points) — What gets metered where
* [Worked Example](/architecture/fees/worked-example) — Step-by-step calculation

**Economics**:

* [Tokenomics](/economics/tokenomics)
* [Value Flows](/economics/flows)
* [Resource Limits](/architecture/actor-vm/resource-limits)

**Related CIPs**:

* [CIP-3: Dual-Metered Fee Model](/cips/cip-3-fee-model)

***

### Timers & Scheduling

**Core concepts**:

* [Scheduler Overview](/architecture/scheduler/overview)
* [Sequence Diagram](/architecture/scheduler/sequence-diagram)
* [DoS Parameters](/architecture/scheduler/dos-parameters)

**Related CIPs**:

* [CIP-1: Actor Message Scheduler](/cips/cip-1-actor-scheduler)
* [CIP-5: Native Timer Mechanism](/cips/cip-5-timers)

***

### Off-Chain Compute & Runners

**Core concepts**:

* [Off-Chain Overview](/architecture/offchain/overview)
* [Task Lifecycle](/architecture/offchain/lifecycle)
* [Callback, Timeout & Challenge](/architecture/offchain/callback-timeout-challenge)
* [Minimal Integration](/architecture/offchain/minimal-integration)

**Related CIPs**:

* [CIP-2: Verifiable Off-Chain Compute](/cips/cip-2-offchain-compute) — Task dispatch, VRF selection, commit-reveal
* [CIP-10: Runner Container Runtime](/cips/cip-10-runner-containers) — OCI execution environment
* [CIP-11: Runner Connectivity and Push Job Delivery](/cips/cip-11-runner-connectivity) — QUIC, presence gossip
* [CIP-13: Runner Stake Delegation](/cips/cip-13-runner-delegation)

***

### Runner Storage (CBFS / RAS)

**Related CIPs**:

* [CIP-9: CBFS-Backed Runner Storage](/cips/cip-9-runner-storage) — Volumes, CapTokens, Relay Nodes, per-byte per-epoch rent

***

### Streaming & Data Feeds

**Related CIPs**:

* [CIP-7: Watchtower](/cips/cip-7-simple-stream-protocol) — Stream actor primitive, deterministic filters, paid-mode epoch keying

**CLI**:

* [cowboy watchtower](/cli-specs/cowboy-watchtower)

***

### HTTP, DNS & Web

**Related CIPs**:

* [CIP-14: DNS-Addressable Actors](/cips/cip-14-dns-addressable-actors) — Gateway role, ingress routing, HTTP envelope
* [CIP-15: Public Asset Hosting](/cips/cip-15-public-asset-hosting) — Static file serving from CIP-9 public volumes
* [CIP-16: Custom Domains and First-Party TLDs](/cips/cip-16-custom-domains)
* [CIP-18: Payments](/cips/cip-18-payments) — HTTP-native payments for actors (MPP + x402, four payment models)
* [CIP-19: Gateway MCP Ingress](/cips/cip-19-gateway-mcp-ingress) — Expose actors as MCP servers through the Gateway

***

### Ethereum Interoperability

**Core concepts**:

* [Technical Integration](/ethereum/technical-integration)

***

### Governance

**Proposals & versioning**:

* [How to Propose](/contributing/how-to-propose)
* [Versioning Strategy](/versioning/strategy)
* [Changelog](/versioning/changelog)

**Related CIPs**:

* [CIP-12: On-Chain Governance & System Actor Upgrades](/cips/cip-12-governance)

***

### Transactions & Messages

**Transaction structure**:

* [Transaction Fields](/architecture/tx/tx-fields)
* [Transaction Format](/developers/tx-format)
* [Idempotency](/architecture/tx/idempotency)
* [Reentrancy](/architecture/tx/reentrancy)

**Development**:

* [Best Practices](/developers/best-practices)
* [SDK API Reference](/developers/sdk)

***

### Consensus & Validators

* [Design Principles](/overview/design-principles) — BFT consensus
* [Architecture Overview](/overview/architecture) — Validator role
* [Value Flows](/economics/flows)
* [Resource Limits](/architecture/actor-vm/resource-limits)
* [CIP-11: Runner Connectivity](/cips/cip-11-runner-connectivity) — Validator↔runner presence attestations

***

### Security

**Core security**:

* [Resource Limits](/architecture/actor-vm/resource-limits) — Multi-layered protection
* [Best Practices](/developers/best-practices) — Secure coding
* [Reentrancy Protection](/architecture/tx/reentrancy)
* [Idempotency](/architecture/tx/idempotency)

**VM security**:

* [Determinism & Sandbox](/architecture/actor-vm/determinism-and-sandbox)
* [Resource Limits](/architecture/actor-vm/resource-limits)

**Economic security**:

* [Tokenomics](/economics/tokenomics)

***

### Entitlements

* [Entitlements Overview](/architecture/entitlements/overview)
* [Entitlements Specification](/architecture/entitlements/entitlements-specification)
* [CIP-2 §7](/cips/cip-2-offchain-compute) — Canonical registry, pool membership

***

### Economics & Tokenomics

**Token economics**:

* [Tokenomics](/economics/tokenomics)
* [Value Flows](/economics/flows)
* [Dual EIP-1559](/architecture/fees/dual-eip1559)

**Related CIPs**:

* [CIP-20: Fungible Token Standard](/cips/cip-20-fungible-tokens)
* [CIP-21: DEX & Liquidity Pools](/cips/cip-21-liquidity-pools)
* [CIP-22: Continuous Clearing Auctions](/cips/cip-22-continuous-clearing-auctions)
* [CIP-13: Runner Stake Delegation](/cips/cip-13-runner-delegation)

***

### Keys & Wallets

* [Key Format](/architecture/keys/key-format)

***

### Development

**Getting started**:

* [Quickstart](/getting-started/quickstart)
* [Repository Layout](/getting-started/repo-layout)
* [FAQ](/getting-started/faq)

**SDK & tools**:

* [SDK API Reference](/developers/sdk)
* [Transaction Format](/developers/tx-format)
* [Best Practices](/developers/best-practices)
* [Examples](/developers/examples)

**Contributing**:

* [How to Propose](/contributing/how-to-propose)
* [Style Guide](/style/styleguide)
* [Naming Conventions](/assets/naming-conventions)

***

### Style & Terminology

* [Style Guide](/style/styleguide)
* [Glossary](/style/glossary)
* [Naming Conventions](/assets/naming-conventions)
* [Terminology Linting](/assets/term-lint)

***

## By User Type

### For Developers

**Essential reading**:

1. [Quickstart](/getting-started/quickstart)
2. [SDK Reference](/developers/sdk)
3. [Best Practices](/developers/best-practices)
4. [Examples](/developers/examples)

**Deep dives**:

* [Actor VM](/architecture/actor-vm/overview)
* [Gas & Fees](/architecture/fees/overview)
* [Timers](/architecture/scheduler/overview)
* [Off-Chain Compute](/architecture/offchain/overview)
* [Entitlements](/architecture/entitlements/overview)

### For Runner Operators

**Essential reading**:

1. [CIP-2: Off-Chain Compute](/cips/cip-2-offchain-compute)
2. [CIP-9: CBFS-Backed Runner Storage](/cips/cip-9-runner-storage)
3. [CIP-10: Runner Container Runtime](/cips/cip-10-runner-containers)
4. [CIP-11: Runner Connectivity](/cips/cip-11-runner-connectivity)
5. [CIP-13: Runner Stake Delegation](/cips/cip-13-runner-delegation)

### For Validators

**Essential reading**:

1. [Tokenomics: Validator Staking](/economics/tokenomics#validator-staking)
2. [Value Flows: Block Production](/economics/flows#per-block-flow)
3. [Resource Limits](/architecture/actor-vm/resource-limits)
4. [CIP-11: Runner Connectivity](/cips/cip-11-runner-connectivity) — Vote-piggybacked presence bitmap
5. [CIP-12: Governance](/cips/cip-12-governance)

### For Token Holders

**Essential reading**:

1. [Tokenomics](/economics/tokenomics)
2. [Value Flows](/economics/flows)
3. [CIP-12: Governance](/cips/cip-12-governance)
4. [How to Propose](/contributing/how-to-propose)

### For Researchers

**Essential reading**:

1. [What is Cowboy](/introduction/what-is-cowboy)
2. [What is Cowboy](/introduction/what-is-cowboy)
3. [Design Principles](/overview/design-principles)
4. [Whitepaper](/whitepaper/cowboy-technical-whitepaper)

**Technical details**:

* [Determinism & Sandbox](/architecture/actor-vm/determinism-and-sandbox)
* [Dual EIP-1559](/architecture/fees/dual-eip1559)
* [VRF Selection (CIP-2)](/cips/cip-2-offchain-compute)
* [CIP-11 Presence Bitmap](/cips/cip-11-runner-connectivity)

***

## By CIP

### CIP-1: Actor Message Scheduler

* [Full specification](/cips/cip-1-actor-scheduler)
* [Scheduler Overview](/architecture/scheduler/overview)
* [Sequence Diagram](/architecture/scheduler/sequence-diagram)
* [DoS Parameters](/architecture/scheduler/dos-parameters)
* [SDK Timer API](/developers/sdk)

### CIP-2: Verifiable Off-Chain Compute

* [Full specification](/cips/cip-2-offchain-compute)
* [Off-Chain Overview](/architecture/offchain/overview)
* [Task Lifecycle](/architecture/offchain/lifecycle)
* [Callback Handling](/architecture/offchain/callback-timeout-challenge)
* [Minimal Integration](/architecture/offchain/minimal-integration)

### CIP-3: Dual-Metered Fee Model

* [Full specification](/cips/cip-3-fee-model)
* [Fee Overview](/architecture/fees/overview)
* [Dual EIP-1559](/architecture/fees/dual-eip1559)
* [Metering Points](/architecture/fees/metering-points)
* [Worked Example](/architecture/fees/worked-example)

### CIP-4: State Storage & Persistence

* [Full specification](/cips/cip-4-storage)

### CIP-5: Native Timer Mechanism

* [Full specification](/cips/cip-5-timers)
* [Scheduler Overview](/architecture/scheduler/overview)

### CIP-6: Python SDK & Actor API

* [Full specification](/cips/cip-6-sdk)
* [SDK API Reference](/developers/sdk)
* [Examples](/developers/examples)

### CIP-7: Watchtower (Stream Protocol)

* [Full specification](/cips/cip-7-simple-stream-protocol)
* [CLI: cowboy watchtower](/cli-specs/cowboy-watchtower)

### CIP-9: CBFS-Backed Runner Storage

* [Full specification](/cips/cip-9-runner-storage)

### CIP-10: Runner Container Runtime

* [Full specification](/cips/cip-10-runner-containers)

### CIP-11: Runner Connectivity and Push Job Delivery

* [Full specification](/cips/cip-11-runner-connectivity)

### CIP-12: On-Chain Governance & System Actor Upgrades

* [Full specification](/cips/cip-12-governance)

### CIP-13: Runner Stake Delegation

* [Full specification](/cips/cip-13-runner-delegation)

### CIP-14: DNS-Addressable Actors

* [Full specification](/cips/cip-14-dns-addressable-actors)

### CIP-15: Public Asset Hosting

* [Full specification](/cips/cip-15-public-asset-hosting)

### CIP-16: Custom Domains and First-Party TLDs

* [Full specification](/cips/cip-16-custom-domains)

### CIP-17: Verifiable State Read RPC

* [Full specification](/cips/cip-17-verifiable-state-read)

### CIP-18: Payments

* [Full specification](/cips/cip-18-payments)

### CIP-19: Gateway MCP Ingress

* [Full specification](/cips/cip-19-gateway-mcp-ingress)

### CIP-20: Fungible Token Standard

* [Full specification](/cips/cip-20-fungible-tokens)
* [Examples](/developers/examples)

### CIP-21: DEX & Liquidity Pools

* [Full specification](/cips/cip-21-liquidity-pools)

### CIP-22: Continuous Clearing Auctions

* [Full specification](/cips/cip-22-continuous-clearing-auctions)

***

## Quick Links

**Most referenced**:

* [Glossary](/style/glossary) — Term definitions
* [SDK Reference](/developers/sdk) — API docs
* [Best Practices](/developers/best-practices) — Security patterns
* [Examples](/developers/examples) — Code samples
* [Whitepaper](/whitepaper/cowboy-technical-whitepaper) — Technical overview

**External resources**:

* [GitHub](https://github.com/cowboyinc/cowboy) — Source code
* [Discord](https://discord.gg/cowboy) — Community
* [Forum](https://forum.cowboy.io) — Discussions
* [Blog](https://blog.cowboy.io) — Updates

***

## Further Reading

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Reader Paths" icon="map" href="/introduction/reader-paths">
    Guided reading paths for different roles
  </Card>

  <Card title="Glossary" icon="book" href="/style/glossary">
    Term definitions
  </Card>
</CardGroup>